GILAS Pilipinas will be facing a hot-shooting Australian side when it closes out its first round campaign in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers on Monday.
The No. 6-ranked team in the world showed the Filipinos a glimpse of what to expect after torching Guam for 24 three-point shots in a 124-52 blowout in Perth on Friday at the start of the tournament’s third window.
READ: Australia deals Guam 72-point beating ahead of Gilas showdown
The figure now stands as the most number of threes made in a World Cup qualifier, eclipsing the previous record of 22 by Mexico against Colombia three years ago.
It also ranked first in Asian qualifiers, as the Boomers erased their previous mark of the 21 they hit in 2018 opposite Qatar.
Tyrese Proctor led the Boomers with six triples for 22 points, Angus Glover had five (19 points), Bryce Cotton (18 points) and Jack McVeigh (14 points) had four each, Reyne Smith had three (nine points), and then there was one apiece from Mitch Creek (11 points) and David Okwera (five points).
Tall task for Gilas
Australia’s 72-point win is also the biggest margin in all of WC qualifiers. The Boomers previously defeated Guam, 93-80, during the second window.
Australia improved its unbeaten record to 5-0 in Group A.
The Philippines, on the other hand, will try to lick the the wounds left by a heartbreaking 106-102 double-overtime loss to New Zealand in Auckland over the weekend.
The Tall Blacks climbed to solo second at 3-2, while Gilas suffered a third straight loss and fell to 2-3.
The Boomers, Tall Blacks, and Gilas are already qualified to the second round.
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